Violin-piano.



J1 L. WARNER. .YIOLIN PIAND. APPLIMTION TILED JAN. 3, 1010.

Patented m 31.1%.

Wilnwaw JWJJM' Erwin Ito:

R E N R A W L J VIOLIN PIANO. I AQPLIUATION FILED JAHJ XQIO- PatentedJan 31,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a'nuunfoz V mum J, L. WARNER.

VIOLIN PIANO. 'AHLIOATION FILED JAN.3,1910

Patented Jan 31. 1911' 4 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

5 mm H on M attain mg:

J. L. WARNER; VIOLIN PIANO. APILIUATION 111.215 .TAN.3,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Jan.31,1911.

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except that the mounting for the piano acon an enli-irgcd scale of thebowing mech- UNITED iiilld'llllltd v JAMES llUCK "WARNER, OF SOUTH BEND,INDTANA.

VIOLIN-STAND.

Application filed January 3,

To all whom it may concern..-

lie it known that l, Janus ll. l 'ixnnnn, a. citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at South Bend. in the county of St. Joseph and State ofIndiana. have invei'ited a new and. useful Violin-Piano, of which thefollowing 5 a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in violin pianos and itsobject. is to i provide a means when-by the san'ie set of strings may beused for violin and piano effects, that the Filigr; may be in vibrationby bowing devices to produce violin cf- :t'erts, or they may be set inriln-ation by'the impact oi the hammers of a piano action.

in accordance with the present invention, there is provided. a set ofstrings such is ci'iuunonly used in the pianotorte and there is alsoprovided an ordinary piano action,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 31, 1 911,

1910. Serial No. 535,937.

tion may be such that it can be displaced 1 relative to the stringssulliciently to throw itentirely out of action so that the piano key maybe o 'zerated without actuating the l hammers. There is also provided abowing i action for violin-cileets which may also be i arranged so as tohe moved into and out of operative relation. as a whole, with thestrings, and the bowing heads of the bowing i action are under thecontrol of the ordinary t piano keys so as tobe brought at the will. ofi the operator, into engagement with the same i strings thatcorrespoiuling hammers of the i piano action may be caused to strike. 1

In addition to the foregoing the invention also comprises a. number ofnovel features 1 which together with the main :leatures of i theinvention will be best ui'i'lerstood i'roni a consideration of thefollowing detail del scription taken in connection with the ac iceIn-panying drawings forming a. partof this i specification. in whichthrawings i Figure 1 is a front elevation of a. piano structureillustrating more particularly the iinpelling means for tho bowingheads. Fig.

' Zis an end eleration or the piano and violin L action showing thearrangenient of the part-s whereby either action may be brought. into 5operation at will. Fig. 3 1s a. detail view, i

anisin used for each string. Fig. 4 is a detail iew of a tension device'for the actuating belt for the bowing heads. F 5 to 8 are views ofdifferent arrangements of tonemodifying devices. Fig. 9 is a sectiontend to stop the 15 in the same inann'er as the pedals of an organ areactuated to nnpart rotativeinovc- WEN OFFICE- through a bowing headlFig. 10 is a view illustrating the relation of the rosin block to thebowing head.

Referring to the drawings and first more particularly to Fig. 1 there isshown a casing 1 which may be similar in most respects to an ordinarypiano casing, preferably of the upright type although the invention isnot confined necessarily to use with an upright piano. Mounted in thecasing, and in the particular structure shown in Fig. 1, near the upperend. of the casing there is a. belt 2 constituting the driving belt forhowing heads-to be hereinafter described. This belt is an endless beltand is mounted at the ends upon rollers 3, one only of which is shown inFig. 1 and the roller there shown has an elongated spindle 4 connectedat one end by a. coupling 5 to the corresponding end of a shaft (3suitably journaled in bearings carried by the casing and this shaft nearthe end remote from the coupling 5 carries a bevel wheel T bearingagainst a like here]. wheel 8 on an independent shaft 9 carrying abalance wheel 10, the shaft 9 80 being also journaled in proper bearingscarried by the casing in parallel relation with the shaft (5. v

Bearing against the under face of the wheel 7 is a friction wheel 11 onone end of a. crank shaft 12 mounted in suitable bearings 13 in thelower part of the casing 1, and the cranks ltof the shaft 12 areconnected to suitable pedals 15extending to the front of the casing in'accessible position to be engaged by the feetof the operator. There isprovided a spring 16 connected at one end to a fixed point of the casingand at the other end to a crank 17 on the end of the shaft- 12 remotefrom the wheel 11, so that this spring will always rotation of the shaft12 in a position where the pedals 15 will be so related to the shaft 12that the operator may readily start the shaft since the spring 16prevents it from stopping on adead center.

The operator has but to actuate the pedals O5 ment to theshaft 6 throughthe friction wheels 7 and 11, and by the shaft 6 to the spindle 4- andso ultimately to the belt 2, regular movement of the belt 2 beingillsured by the fly wheel 10 receivingmotion 339 from the crank shaftthrough the connecting wheels 7 and 8 which latter, because of theabsence of noise are preferably of the .t'rirtion type. Of course thespeed of the. belt 2.depends upon the speed of the actuation of thepedals 15, and the belt 2 may be driven rapidly or slowly at the will ofthe operator, but the movement of the belt Whether fast or slow will beregular lit-pause of the fly wheel 10.

Of course other means of driving the belt may be employed, the same asin organ structures where water or electric motors are commonly used forthe purpose and therefore the pedal movement illustrated is to be takenas indicative of any suitable motive power whether manual, mechanical,pneumatic or electrical.

In order to maintain the belt 2 in a taut condition, the structure shownin Fig. .4. may be employed. The roller 3 remote from the driving rolleris mounted in the ends of a yoke 18 provided with a screw 19 projectingfrom its connecting members'and this screw may be sustained by a bracket20 to which the screw is secured in any adjusted position by a lock nut21, and the bracket may be made fast to any suitable fixed-portion ofthe casing or to some fixed member within the casing. The legs of theyoke 18 are guided in brackets 22 also made fast to some fixedmembeiywithin the casing.

Referring to Fig. 2 there is 'shown a sounding board 23 and a singlestring 2-]. and this showing may be taken as indicative of the soundingboard and stringsfofa pianoforte. Above the sounding board and near eachend of the casing there is pivot ally mounted an arm 25 on a pivot 28,the two arms each carrying a bracket 26 supporting a. number oflongitudinally disposed rails 27 designed to sustain the operatingmechanism for the violin side of the structure. In the particularstructure shown in Fig. 2 the rollers 3 may be supported by the brackets26 instead of upon fixed portions of the interior mechanism of theinstrument so that; the belt 2 will participate in the movement of thebrackets 26 around the pivots 28 of. the arms25.

It will be observed in the showing in Fig. 1 that the coupling orconnection 5 between the spindle 4 and shaft 6 is such as to permit alongitudinal movement of the spindle-4 in the coupling withoutdisconnecting the parts and this will permit an appropriate movement.o'1' a'the rollers 3 with the bracket 26, the whole structure beingquite flexible-in this respect.

There is shown. a bowing head 29 which. as will hereinafter appear,maybe moved into and out of engagement with'the. string 24. There is butone bowing head shown in the drawings, but it will be understood thatthere is a bowing head provided for each but the structure from thatshown string and; all the bowing heads are carried by the brackets 26and rails 27 as a unitary structure.

Each bowing head 29 best shown in Figs.

3 and 9, is carried on one end of a shaft 30 in suitable bearings 31carried by a lever 32, there being a lever 32 for each bowing head andits journaled support. The lever 32 may turn about a pivot 33 secured tothe general supporting means made up of the bracket 26 and rails 27 sothat the bowing heads 29 may be moved to and from the strings asdesired. 7 Each shaft 30 is connected by av universal coupling 34L withanother shaft 35 mounted in a suitable bearing 35 carried by the lever32 and each shaft 35 is provided with a friction roller 36 movable intoengagement with the adjacent run of the belt 2 when the lever 32 ismoved in the proper direc tion about its pivot so that the rotary motionis imparted by the belt 2 to the shaft 35 and by the latter to the shaft30 and ultimately to the bowing heads 29. Since the space between theadjacent shafts 35 is limited, the rollers 36 may be in staggered relation one to the other as indicated in dotted lines in. Fig. 3.

The bowing head structure is in general the same as shown and describedin Letters Patent #924,706, granted June 15, 1909, for a violin piano,on an application filed by me, differs in some respects Patent and thesedifl'erences will be .pointcd out 1n due course. Each lever 32 hassecnredthereto a bracket- 37 with divergent members secured to the levernear its pivot point and near the end remote therefrom. the'connectlonsbeing on opposite sides of the pivot The free end of the bracket 37carries an eye '37. receiving one end of a link 38 connecting thebracket 37 with one end of a rocklever 39 mounted on aflange 40 carriedby one of the rails 27. The bearing 35 for the shaft 35 is carried byone end of aleaf spring 36' fast at the other end to the lever 32,thebearing 35' being normally held against a buffer36" on thecorresponding end bf the lever When the said lever 32 is moved about itspivot to bring the bowing head againstthe string. the roller 36 isbrought against the belt 2 before the head 29 engages the string. thussetting the roller 36. shafts 3'5 and 30 and bowing head 29 intorotation. The

head into the desired'engagement'with the string.

The piano is of course provided with an ppro riate kev-bed and this isindicated-at 42 in Fig. 2. A single key 43 onlv is shown mounted on thekey-bed but this may be taken as indicative of the usual number of inthe aforesaid Letters spring 36 will yield to further movement of I thelever 32 necessary to bring the betting keys which need not differ fromthe "keys l *sembled or has in the path of the screw nally of thestructure.

I actuated by the performer in. the same mansion 0f any one oi more oi:the keys t3 the rods -17 will be: no longer cngagedby the '1 keys andthe bowing; structure will remain inactive eve though the keys il beactuated ordinarily employed in pianofortes.

Each key carries near its rear end a number of studs or screws 44, 45,and ib-respecso that the relation of each key to non by the pi rnier.tain parts actuated thereby may be readily Near can on d of the casingthere is pivotally suppo t ed an arm and these arms are connectorog'ether by appropriate rails 5Q,

pivot points of the arms being; indicated P: i I

adjusted when the instrument is :lirst asat subsequent times. Each key44 in the particular adjustment of the parts shown Fig. 2, a rod 47carried by links 48 from in made up of: the arms 5? and flanges fast onrails 4-9 extending longitud i.-. s gned to Sll'l'il'iOlt a piano no igenerally of the ordinary f ,L'tfflllll'QS no detail dee hammer head bno taken as in- Each time the accessible end of a key depressed then theend carrying; the screw 1- is elevated and the rod 47 engaging saidscrew particitype and t scriptioii. In F.

is shown and 't ates in this movement, and the lever dieative of allthehammer of an ordinary in the path of the rod 4:7 under considerationliianofletion" e han'nue .iiiQtlesigried to ingaf e as: trings; lain.hef nanner usual "in pianofortes. .The piano aiition frame niadeaip'ot'"theiarn" and the rails 56 is connected heaev r at .iy a ho. or links. idilat'ter are rniii nctetli to the ends of the -leve fs reii'iote iliromthearms .50 so that when the lovers 5'1. are rocked on their pivots theviolin action'is ni'oy of operative relation is moved about its pivot ina direction to depress the end connected to the "link 38 and thismovement. is participated in by the arm 375 thus causing the lever 32 torock on its pivot.- in a direbtion to bring the head 29 into engagementwith the string 24 first however bringing the roller 36 against the belt2 and the head 29 being rotated the string 24 will be set in vibrationby the blowint action of the head QQ. The keys 43 to the sti'iiip stastho piano actionis moved into operative relation thereto and the pianoaction is moved out ot o ieiat'iverelation to. the strings when theviolin action is moved into,operat've relation thereto. By this meansthese ator may utilize the ltill)l'O't'QliltlIlt ft'or lin etlects orfor piano effects at will.

nor as is a. piano or organ with the resultv that a violin quality isproduced by the action of the bowing heads on the strings.

Within the casing 1 near each end there of is an arm 50 connected at oneendto a.

corresponding; bracket 20 and at'the other rock the lovers oil. 'and tolitiltl, l'l.i01ii in end to one'end of a rock lever lever 51 pivadusted, positions, one or both levers Ill otally supported on some fixedportion of the are provided with an arm til carrying; at

instrument, thesupport 4-2 for the keys 43. hen. the lever til-is movedin one direction then the motion is transu'iitted through the arms 50 tothe brackets 26 and the latter are moved about the pivot points itsfree. end a pivoted .nut b2, into vhich' there is screwed the threaded"end :o-i' a 0d tl 'leading to'a shaft 6% to L which it. is connected bya universal joint (55; and this shaft 64 is carried to a. point wlierethe 28 of the arms 25, and it the direction of end 66 remote from thecoupling (3; acmovement of the lever 51v be such as'to elecessible tothe operator. This are do endv vate the arms 50 then the brackets 26 aremay be squared orotheriviseshape for the inoved upwardly about the pivot28 as a center and the heads 29 are moved away from their normalposition and the levers 39 would also be moved away liron'r the rods 4&7were it not for a connecting structure comprising links 52 and anintermediate lever 53. One link 52 is connectexl at one end to a rod54-. exteni ling; between the arms 50 and at the other end this link 52connectedtothe intermediate lever mounted on a suitable su 'i iiortrising from one of the rails 49. The other link 52 extends from the.lever 53 to the link 48 connectingi'each rod 47 to one of the rails 49,this rail-being the same rail which supports the lever liy thisarrangement all the rods t7 are lifted out of the paths of the screws 44onthe several keys 43 at the same time thatth'e lion'- ing' heads 29 aremoved out of operative ro latio-n'to the strings 24 so that ontliedepres- I'QUO-Dl'lOIl Oli a key or ma nipul'ati'ug crank so that theshaft 6stinay berotated by the operator when desiring to change theinstrument from either a piaiio to a violin instrument or from a violintoa piano instrument. Because of the 'scr enjthread connection be tweenthe rod-(l?) and the arm (ll of the lever the latter will be clieetuallylocked in any desired adjusted position. Each key 455 controls a damper(3T throng a lever 68 pivoted upon a rail 9 extending back of the keysand in front of the sl'i'ililir and the lever 8 has one end in operativerelation to the serew lti on each key 43 so that whether the pianoaction or the violin .action be the one in use. the damper (17 will beactuated eachfl'iine the. 13mrticular key controlling'it is depressed. oIn order to apply rosin to heads there is provided for the bo\vi on eachbowing the bodily movement of the frame rosin the end of the shaftbeyondthe head a U-shaped carrier 70, between the free frame 72 so as tomove-bodily therethrough,

being mounted upon rollers 73 in orderthat may be free.

The frame 70 is urged toward the bowing head by a spring 74 so as tomaintain/the in engagement t erewith and keep the bowing head wellrosined. In i order cylinder 71 may wear 1 rotation is set at an angleto the axis of rotation of the bowing head as best indicated in FigQIO.

It is desirable of course both for a manumodifying other than operator.The ampei 70 may be so constructed as to take in al or a part of thestrin s.

the instrument seams y disks of such diameter as to engage the f dishedportions of the disks 89, thus 13' (luclng a l by the uneven surface ofI the presence of the wrapping.

trouble the wrapping keys,

:1 single set of strings with each string 1 moving one into operativerelation with the s own in Fig 5, the throw of the rod 47 may 3. Aviolin-piano having a bowing action e controlled by a rock bar 80eztending movable as a whole intoand out of operaas to be out of thepaths of pins 81 is may be accomplished b I a sliding rod 82 having 'ahandle 83 within reach of the operator; throw of the keys 43 may becontrolled by a rock bar 80 movable into and outoflthe path .of the rearends of the keys by means of a slide 82 provided with a handle 83 as inFig. 6. he same effect Inay be brought about with the structure shown inFig. 8 where the front ends of the keys are controlled to the extent ofdepression by a bar 80 under the control of the slide 82 as in Figs.Sand 7.

The invention is not limited to any particular construction of has beenfound that excellent results are produced by as follows: There isprovided stem 84 having a head 85 fixed atone-end and along one sidehaving a rib or spline 86. A collar 87 is fixed to the shaft 30 andcollar is receive afnut- 88. On disks 89 'prefa tubular screw threadedto the stem'84are placed dished e ably of ard or vulcanized "rubberwhile etween adjacent disks are placed j -plane bowing head but it;

constructing the bowing heads l tive relation to the -str1ngs,a for thesame strings movable into and out of operative relation thereto, and acommon I of the two actions, com-prising a- I connected at one end tothe'bowing l action, and means connected to the two frames for movingthem into and out of operative relation to the strings.

I a. violin piano comprising a set of strings. a set of keys for thestrings. a pivoted frame carrying a bowing action and provided with aconnection between the bowing action and the keys. a pivoted framecarrying a piano action and provided with f connections between thepiano action an'dthc 1' keys, and means for moving either action intoand out of'operative relation to the l i keys at will.

and at the other end to the piano action, and I action sustainedthereby. a pivoted frame carrying a piano a piano action operable fromone set of V l means for causing the movement of either (3. In aviolin-piano, a bowing head, and means for applying rosin theretocomprising a block of resin, a holder therefor in the form oil. aU-shaped frame with the block of rosin between the free ends of the legsthereof, another frame earrying the -U- shaped frame and provided withrollers sup porting the U-shaped frame, and a spring between the twoframes for maintaining the rosin block in engagement With the bowinghead.

T. In a violin piano, a bowing head and aholder for a block of rosinprovided with means for holding the rosin to the bowing head and havingan axial support for the resin at an angle to the axis of rotationof-the bowing head.

S. A violin piano bowing head having a suitable stein, dished bowingdisks and plane separating disks in alternation on said stem', the planedisks engaging the inner dished faces of the dished disks. a a

9. A violin piano bowing head having a suitable stem, dished boivingdisks thereon, and plane separating disks intermediate of and housed inthe dished disks and of less dlaineter than and having their peripheriesen aging the inner dished surfaces of the dishe disks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as in own, I have hereto afiixedmy s1gnature in the presence of two Witnesses.

. JAMES LUCK WARNER.

it-messes CLARA E. BROWN, J. O. DAILEY.

